Istanbul embraces two continents, one arm reaching out to Asia, the other to Europe. In the city's heart, the Bosphorus strait, course the waters of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. The former capital of three successive empires- Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman- today Istanbul honors and preserves the legacy of its past while looking forward to its modern future. Indeed it is Istanbul's variety that fascinates its visitors. The museums, churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows on the opposite shore you understand, suddenly and profoundly, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site. At times such as these, you feel that Istanbul is truly one of the most glorious cities in the world. 

The cascading domes and four slender minarets of Suleymaniye Mosque dominate the skyline on the Golden Horn's west bank. Considered the most beautiful of all imperial mosques in Istanbul, it was built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the renowned architect of the Ottoman golden age. On the crest of a hill, the building is conspicuous for its great size, which the four minarets that rise from each corner of the courtyard emphasize. Inside, the mihrab (prayer niche) and the mimber (pulpit) are of finely carved white marble; fine stained glass windows color the incoming streams of light. It was in the gardens of this complex that Suleyman and his wife Hurrem Sultan had their mausoleum built, and near here also that Sinan built his own tomb. The mosque complex also includes four medrese, or theological school of medicine, a caravanserai, a Turkish bath, and a kitchen and hospice for the poor.

Facing St. Sophia stands the supremely elegant, six-minaret, imperial Sultanahmet Mosque. Built between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Mehmet, the building is more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque because its interior gleams with a magnificent paneling of blue and white Iznik tiles.

The ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life, stood in the open space in front of the Blue Mosque, an area now called Sultanahmet. Of the monuments which once decorated it only three remain: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the column of Constantine. Remains from the curved end section of the Hippodrome's wall can be seen on the south side of these three monuments.

The Basilica of St. Sophia, now called the Saint Sophia Museum is unquestionably one of the finest buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and its diameter spans 31 meters. You should linger here to absorb the building's majestic serenity and to admire the fine Byzantine  mosaics.

The 11th century church of St. Savior in Chora, the Kariye Museum, is after St. Sophia, the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul. Unremarkable in its architecture, inside , the walls are decorated with superb 14th century frescoes and mosaics. Illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, these brilliantly colored paintings embody the vigor of Byzantine art. Restored wooden houses in the area surrounding the church offer tea and coffee in a relaxed atmosphere far removed from the city's hectic pace.

Near St. Sophia is the sixth century Byzantine cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarayi. Three hundred and thirty-five massive Corinthian columns support the immense chamber's fine brick vaulting.

On a spot of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea stands the Topkapi Palace, the maze of buildings at the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed. A magnificent wooded garden fills the outer, or first, court. On the right of the second court, shaded by cypress and plane trees, stand the palace kitchens, now galleries exhibiting the imperial collection of crystal, silver and Chinese porcelain. To the left the Harem, the secluded quarters of the wives, concubines and children of the sultan, charms visitors with the echoes of the intrigue of centuries. Today the third court holds the Hall of Audience, the Library of Ahmet III, an exhibition of imperial costumes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the treasury and a priceless collection of miniatures from medieval manuscripts. In the center of this innermost sanctuary, the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle enshrines the relics of the Prophet Mohammed brought to Istanbul when the Ottomans assumed the caliphate of Islam.

The Archaeological Museums are found just inside the first court of Topkapi Palace. The newly renovated Archaeological Museum includes the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus and head among its treasures of antiquity. The Museum of the Ancient Orient displays artifacts from the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hatti and Hittite civilizations. 

The great field tents used by the Ottoman Armies on campaigns are displayed in the Military Museum. Other exhibits include Ottoman weapons and the accoutrements of war. The Mehter Takimi (Ottoman Military Band) perform Ottoman Marshal music between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. (Open every day except Monday and Tuesday)

Built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdulmecit I, the facade of Dolmabahce Palace stretches for 600 meters along the European shore of the Bosphorus. The vast reception salon, with 56 columns, and a huge crystal chandelier weighing four and a half tons and lit by 750 lights never fails to astonish visitors. At one time, birds from all over the world were kept in the Bird Pavilion for the delight of the palace's privileged residents. Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, died in Dolmabahce on the 10th November, 1938.

In the 19th century Sultan Abdulaziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace, a fantasy in white marble amid magnolia filled gardens, on the Bosphorus's Asian shore. Used as the Sultan's summer residence and hunting lodge, it was offered to the most distinguished foreign dignitaries during their visits. Empress Eugenie of France was among its residents.

The dark stone building that houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic art was built in 1524 by Ibrahim Pasa, Grand Vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, as his residence. It was the grandest private residence ever built in the Ottoman Empire. Today it holds a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, and woodwork as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world.

The Galata Tower, a Genoese construction of 1348, rises 62 meters high over the Golden Horn. From the top you see a marvelous panorama of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.

Rumeli Hisari, or the European Fortress, was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to his capture of Istanbul. Completed in only four months, it is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture in the world.

  >>>